504 Plan... Help please...

After getting new diagnosis (static encephalopathy, DMDD, possible PTSD) I need to ask the high school for a 504 plan. It won't help much for the last half of her senior year, because all her required classes are over, and now it is just electives, to make up the number of credits for graduation.

But, we need a 504 Plan to follow her to the local junior college. She is very distracted, loses things, has trouble planning ahead... Can someone tell me what I should be asking for?

I'm certainly no expert but my daughter had a 504 from middle school through high school. She also had trouble focusing, losing things, etc. I'm not sure the same things that helped a 12 year old would work in jr college but she had a yellow accordion folder that had a rubber band latch. All her teachers were told that if they saw her without it, she had to go to her locker to get it (I made sure it made it to school). Everything that needed to be transported between home and school went in that folder...homework, notes, schedules, etc.

As far as distractions, you can ask that she be allowed to take tests/exams in a quiet setting away from the rest of the class-less distractions.

I also had teachers tap on her desk when they saw her "day dreaming." It was conspicuous but effective.

As far as distractions, you can ask that she be allowed to take tests/exams in a quiet setting away from the rest of the class-less distractions.

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This is one of the basic accommodations. I'd take it one step farther and also ask for "untimed" tests in a separate setting. It doesn't mean they can take forever to write the test, just that they do not have to consider the clock, which reduces time-anxiety. This is also a basic and fairly normal accommodation.

Some others that may be available at the post-secondary level:
- access to scribed notes (either from another student, or from an aide)
- reduced number of classes (often, 80% or 60% load will be considered), takes more semesters to finish
- use of technology - sound surround systems for auditory processing disorders, allowance for computer use for exams (usually on a separate "clean" computer so they can't pre-store answers) are two of these.